I am absolutely LOVING the person I am becoming through the lessons I’m learning on my “Love Me” journey, and I just had to share.  This road of healthier living definitely started off bumpy, but I am really enjoying the process and most of all the changes I see in myself.

If you are an Oprah fan, you know where I got the idea for the title of this post. 🙂  So here is what I know for sure about loving ME more:

– The scale can be your friend. I’ve stopped dreading the scale.  I’m learning to use it as a guide of what’s best for me.  You know sometimes we can trick ourselves into thinking we are doing better than we are and then when it’s time to get on the scale we get mad.  I have tripped myself up like that a lot.  But now if I see a number that I’m not too fond of, it’s a wake up call to what I’ve been doing and motivation to do something different.  So instead of beating myself up about it, I just DO BETTER.  And I will NOT get back on the scale until I’m sure I will see the numbers I want.  That just makes me even more determined to stick to my goals and ensure that I won’t be disappointed.  “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”  The scale does not have to be bad news.  Just let it be your guide and it will treat you much better. 🙂

– The journey to health is just that – a journey. In the beginning of this challenge I realized immediately that this would be a progressive challenge – one where I was going to have to teach myself what and how much to eat so that I could gradually get better along the way.  I was not going to be able to just jump right into strict eating habits and disciplined living.  When it came to portion control, as I plated my food, I had to literally talk myself through my portions because I could not be left to my default mindset.  I was so conditioned to eating more than I needed, that my hands and eyes worked together to ensure I always had as much food as possible.  So after taking steps to gradually eat less (like using smaller plates and bowls), my stomach started to conform to the smaller portions so that when I would relapse and eat too much, my stomach literally gave me HELL.  It was NOT pretty.  But from that I’ve learned to take it one day at a time, teach myself along the way, and make sure to get back up when I fall off the wagon and keep moving in the direction of a healthier me.

– I like what likes me back. I used to be adamant about what I would and would not eat, and what I would and would not give up.  I just HAD to have what I liked because I liked it.  And nobody better not question me about it either because that was the way it was! LOL. Recently I have become so proud of myself because my mind and heart are constantly opening to more healthy choices, and the best part is that I truly ENJOY them.  I was so adamant about not feeling deprived because I still wanted to be able to enjoy my experience with food.  I am admittedly a foodie.  But now I realize all of those attachments I had didn’t necessarily like me back.  I mean after all, look at the way they treated my body with extra weight, slower metabolism, and low energy to name a few.  While eating my lightly salted tuna a couple of weeks ago, I actually started to notice the taste of less salt.  I almost got up to put more salt in it, but I realized, “This is still good.  And I like it even more because this is better for me.”  I like the feeling of knowing my food is treating me well by adding to my health instead of taking away from it.  So not only are my new healthy choices still delicious and enjoyable, they are contributing to my over all WELL BEING and that means the world to me!

– Health must be a top priority. Anytime I feel like being lazy or skipping my workout or even eating more than I should, I remind myself of my ultimate goal.  I truly want to live my best life and I want everything in and around me to reflect that.  I can’t be tired while I travel the world because I’m fat and out of shape.  I don’t have time to be held back from activities and events because I’m too big or heavy.  All of that is nonsense.  It’s time to get the absolute most out of life and feel comfortable, energized, and beautiful while doing it.  That is living life to it’s fullest and that is my goal.  So I have to stay committed to my health in order to truly get everything I want out of life.  And trust me, I will.  I won’t stop until I do.

– Self-love and care is bliss. When you truly take the time to consciously direct loving energy into your body, you just feel better.  These days, I do what makes me feel good.  Saying things like, “Thank you God for clear, clean, beautiful skin” as I wash my face and “Thank you God for these long, beautiful legs that work” while lotioning my body really brings more meaning and joy to my everyday experiences.  Staying conscious of truly caring for myself and my body as it carries me through life is a beautiful way to live.

My “Love Me” Affirmations:

I love, respect, and honor my body as my temple.

I choose the food, portions, and activities that are in alignment with my highest good.

I love, accept, and approve of myself just the way I am.

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To find out how all this started, check out My 90-Day “Love Me” Challenge.

Share your thoughts in the comments: Have you been loving yourself more lately? Are you on a journey to healthier living? Share your progress, learning lessons, struggles, and triumphs.

Peace, Love, and More Self-Love,

~Alexis~

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